Kenneth Smith, an 80-year-old Mississippi man, has been selling pieces of kindling wood on the side of the road to try to pay off his late wife's medical bills.

Now he'll have around $35,000 to help him out.

Smith's son, Leslie, set up a GoFundMe page to help his father, who is currently living on a fixed Social Security income. Smith's wife passed away from cancer a few weeks ago, and since then, he's been trying to pay off the bills with an income that's just been cut in half, as explained on the fundraising page. So far, the "Wood Man's Widower fund" has raised more than $35,000 in just two days, with an ultimate goal of $40,000.

"He is 80 years old and has always been a hard working man all of his life," the page says of Smith. "His wife lost her battle with cancer a few weeks ago and now his income has been cut in half. They spent their life savings during her cancer battle."

Before his wife, Helen, passed away, Smith and she would sell the wood together, working to pay off medical expenses like doctor's visits.

"She was right here with me," he told local news station WLOX. "She would sit and wave at all the people that would come by."

"She's a proud woman because she's looking down on me."

And he still feels like she's there in spirit.

"She's a proud woman because she's looking down on me," he told WLOX.

The wood-selling man first captured his community's attention when a woman named Jessica Pittman wrote about him in a Facebook post that's been shared more than 9,000 times.

"If y'all need any kindling wood please come buy from this precious 80 year old elderly man," Pittman wrote, saying he sells the kindling wood for $5 a bag.

"Last year he was there selling as well but he had his sweet little wife Helen with him," Pittman wrote. "This year he is alone ... My heart breaks every time I pass him. He waves at every single car that passes. Friday I was at the stop sign as a funeral procession was passing by. And he was standing alert with his straw hat over his heart."

Smith stood at attention as a funeral procession passed by.

Image: jessica pittman via facebook

Other people shared their feelings of support and inspiration for Smith on the fundraising page.

"I pray this number continues to grow, in order to get his head above water, [and] some breathing room for a bit," wrote Cheryl Andrews.

"I've never seen anyone more deserving of community support than this gentleman!" wrote Beth Stork Bosarge. "I pray the entire family has a joyful Thanksgiving."

Mashable
is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company. Powered by its own proprietary technology, Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe.